The recent Australian import Stormont Czar A unleashed a furious rally in the last 100 yards to hit the wire first in the $21,500 pacing feature on Saturday at The Downs at Mohegan Sun Pocono, winning a three-horse photo in a lifetime best of 1:50.4.
The field got away in post position order, with rail horse Lawrencetown Beach setting fractions of :27, :55.4, and 1:23, with Maxdaddy Blue Chip sitting the pocket. Stormont Czar A, from post three and sitting third, did not go first-over, then was able to back out to third-over position late on the final turn.
It took half of the stretch for driver Tyler Buter to angle the winner widest into a clear path, but after that the gelded son of Bettors Delight was just a blur, rallying from fifth when clear to be up just on the money over Pocono Pike utilizer Maxdaddy Blue Chip, with Lawrencetown Beach lasting until the final couple of steps and also just a nose off the winner.
Stormont Czar N now has two wins in four U.S. starts for trainer Amber Buter and has already bankrolled 29,300 American dollars for the ownership of Tyler Buter and Oldford Racing LLC.
The $20,000 claiming handicap pace went over a second faster than the headliner, as the American Ideal gelding Ideal Kiss was awesome in a six-length victory while taking a new mark of 1:49.3. The winner of four of his last five and trained by Hunter Oakes for Northfork Racing Stable, Ideal Kiss shot out to the lead in :26.2, got a breather to the half in :55.1, increased the tempo to reach the three-quarter pole in 1:22.4, then had his earplugs popped and bid goodbye to the field, streaking home in :26.4.
The driver for Ideal Kiss was George Napolitano, Jr., who is on as hot a driving streak as can be imagined. This victory was his sixth of the night, giving him 13 at Pocono the last two Saturdays, and 23 over the last five cards at The Downs. In his last four appearances at Harrah’s Philly, George has visited Victory Lane 15 times, for 38 successes since a week ago Friday.
One of the best cards of the year will take place at The Downs on Sunday night, with the mountain track hosting a $1.5 extravaganza hosting four $252,000 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes Championships for three-year-olds, their attendant consolations, and three $100,000 Great Northeast Open Series Championships, to be conducted at 1-1/4 miles, one each for open pacers, open trotters, and pacing mares.
(PHHA / Pocono)